(a) The department may conduct a statewide program for providing nutritional food supplements to low-income pregnant women, low-income postpartum and lactating women, and low-income infants and children under five years of age, who have been determined to be at nutritional risk by a health professional, based on criteria established by the department. Any program established pursuant to this section shall do all of the following:
(1) Comply with all the requirements of this article.
(2) Be conducted only if a special project is authorized by inclusion in the Budget Act or notification is provided to the Legislature pursuant to Section 28 of the Budget Act, and federal funds are appropriated therefor.
(3) Be known as the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program).
(b) The department shall administer this article and shall adopt minimum standards and regulations as necessary.
(c) In order to be in conformity with federal law and to remain in compliance with federal funding, the department shall adopt all mandatory requirements and guidelines set forth in federal law and federal regulation for the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for the WIC program, including, but not limited to, the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, and the amendments thereto (Chapter 13A (commencing with Section 1786) of Title 42 of the United States Code), Part 246 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and federal memoranda and guidance letters clarifying and interpreting those laws and regulations as the requirements for the WIC Program. In adopting the federal mandatory requirements and guidelines, the department shall not be subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The department may adopt these requirements and guidelines by bulletin or similar instruction.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 787, Sec. 2. (AB 2322) Effective September 29, 2012.)